1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to apparatus for loading articles in the bed of the truck, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to apparatus for loading a personal watercraft in the bed of a pickup truck.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years the popularity of personal watercraft has led to the need for convenient means for loading and transporting the watercraft from the home to the body of water upon which the watercraft is to be used.
Many such apparatus have been constructed for the particular purpose of loading such a watercraft in the bed of a conventional pickup truck.
One such apparatus is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,542,810 to Florus. The Florus apparatus includes a ramp which extends from the bed of the truck into the body of water. A winch is used to pull the watercraft up the ramp onto a rack located within the bed of the truck. Then the ramp is disconnected from the rack for transport.
Another such device is that marketed by Monsoon Industries, LLC of Clinton Township, Michigan under the brand Roller Ramp. The Monsoon Roller Ramp includes a two-part ramp. A first part of the ramp is fixedly mounted in the bed of the truck. A second part of the ramp may be extended rearwardly from the first part and pivoted downward into the body of water. Then, the watercraft is pulled up the second ramp section on to the fixed first ramp section. Then the second ramp section can be slid into a retracted storage position below the fixed first ramp section.
The structure disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,546 to Schmoling appears to be similar to that of the Monsoon Roller Ramp just described.
Both the devices just described are complex in their construction and use, and they require that the portion of the loading ramp which extends into the lake be manually retracted or disassembled after the watercraft has been loaded.
Thus, it is seen that there is still a need for an improved watercraft loading apparatus which is simple of construction, economical to manufacture, and easy to use.